Ukiah "very close" to issuing permit for Palace?Hotel

The City of Ukiah almost has what it needs to issue a building permit that would allow renovations to begin again in the Palace Hotel, City Attorney David Rapport told the Ukiah City Council Wednesday.

"I think we're very, very close to being able to issue a building permit," Rapport said, explaining that he received documentation from Eladia Laines' attorney that showed she is authorized to act on behalf of the corporation that owns the building at 272 N. State Street.

That corporation was previously known as Questix, he said, but has been revived as Unique Properties, and Laines "holds all of the offices of the corporation."

Rapport said he did still have some questions and wanted to request further documentation, some of which Laines was able to produce for him at the meeting.

"So, are we ready to issue a building permit?" Council member Mary Anne Landis asked.

"Not as of tonight," Rapport said. "Maybe tomorrow."

"We would still need clearance from air quality," added Planning Director Charley Stump, referring to the fact that the Mendocino County Air Quality Management District repealed its clearance after an asbestos and lead consultant Laines hired abruptly quit in December.

Laines told the council that she had identified a new consultant, but that he hadn't been hired yet because "he hasn't given us his scope of work yet. He needs to get that from air quality."

When Mayor Doug Crane asked her for a timeline on when the consultant would be officially hired, Laines said he would be coming to Ukiah Friday.

Rapport said the threshold needed for establishing ownership was "low," and it would be higher if Laines wanted to get title insurance or seek financing.

"That's between her and the title company," he said.

The council voted unanimously to delay passing a resolution allowing the potential demolition of the building and will receive another report on Laines' progress next month.

Justine Frederiksen can be reached at udjjf@pacific.net, on Twitter @JustFrederiksen or at 468-3521.